The Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL)
The Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL)
The Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program will support projects to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas to increase connectivity, improve the safety and reliability of the movement of people and freight, and generate regional economic growth and improve quality of life.
When is funding available?
Competitive Grant – part of the FY22 Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Opportunity (MPDG).
The Rural Surface Transportation grant program funding will be made available in 2022 under the MPDG combined Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that will allow applicants to use one application to apply for up to three separate discretionary grant opportunities:
- Mega Grants: known statutorily as the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program (49 U.S.C. 6701)
- INFRA Grants: known statutorily as the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects program (23 U.S.C. 117)
- Rural Surface Transportation Grant: (23 U.S.C. 173)
Rural Grant Summary Details
Funding amount: $2,000,000,000 (total available FY22 – FY26)
Period of Availability: 4 year
New Program?: Yes – 23 U.S.C. 173 as enacted as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 (BIL)
Eligible Applicants: State, Regional transportation planning organizations, Local governments, Tribal governments
Eligible Uses: Highway, bridge, or tunnel projects eligible under the National Highway Performance Program, Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, or the Tribal Transportation Program; highway freight project eligible under the National Highway Performance Program; highway safety improvement project; project on a publicly-owned highway or bridge improving access to certain facilities that support the economy of a rural area; integrated mobility management system, transportation demand management system, or on-demand mobility services
Important links:
Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant - Notice of Funding Opportunity
FY22 Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant - NOFO_Amendment 1 .pdf
The MPDG FY 2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity was amended on May 18, 2022. An Amendment Summary is provided here.
https://www.transportation.gov/grants/rural-surface-transportation-grant